memory_alphafandomcom-20200223-history
Homeward (episode)
Worf's adoptive brother violates the Prime Directive by saving a group of villagers from a doomed planet. Summary Teaser In 2370, the answers a distress call from the planet Boraal II. The planet is experiencing atmospheric dissipation and will be rendered uninhabitable in just a few hours. Lieutenant Worf is especially concerned with this recent development as his foster brother, Nikolai Rozhenko is assigned to the cultural observation post on the planet. Worf asks Captain Picard for his permission to beam down and see if his foster brother is all right. Picard, concerned that Worf's visit may conflict with the Prime Directive agrees, but says that Worf must be surgically altered to pass as a Boraalan. Worf beams down to a cave sheltered from the intense storms on the planet. Shortly after, Worf finds Nikolai and many Boraalans inside the cave and has come to the conclusion that Nikolai has broken the Prime Directive by helping the Boraalans survive. Act One When Worf enters the cavern that his protecting the Boraalans, he is questioned by a male Boraalan named Vorin, since he assumes that the storm on the surface has stopped, since Worf was able to make it to the caves alive. Worf refuses to answer the question and wants to speak to his brother. Worf asks Nikolai why he did this. Nikolai says that he was unable to stay at his observation post and watch the Boraalans slowly die. Worf says that the Captain will want to speak with him. Back onboard the Enterprise-D, Nikolai explains his actions to the senior staff, including Captain Picard. Nikolai says that he wants to save the village by creating an atmospheric bubble over a small section of the planet, which will protect the Boraalans. Picard refuses to compound the damage that Nikolai has inflicted upon the Prime Directive and the Boraalan culture. Nikolai is at once disappointed about Picard's decision and asks to transmit his logs back to the ship, stating that the only way he will now be able to save the Boraalan culture is by preserving it in a museum. Worf tries to heal his brother's pain by helping him to transmit the logs to the ship, but Nikolai refuses his help. Later on the bridge, Nikolai goes to the Science station on the back on the bridge to transmit his logs to the ship's computer. Later, the crew witnesses the imminent destruction of Boraal II. Picard reminds everyone on the bridge that this is one of the few times that they must face the ramifications of the Prime Directive and to honor it. Nikolai tells the Captain that he finds no honor whatsoever in what the crew is doing and leaves before Boraal is destroyed. Then, a plasmonic burst hits the ship and causes a power drain. Worf finds out that the drain is coming from deck ten. Riker asks Worf to go down to the deck with a security team. Worf makes his way down to deck ten, and then to the holodeck. At first, the doors do not open, but then they do after much frustration. Worf then hears Nikolai's voice, to come into the holodeck chamber, but to be quiet. Nikolai has a PADD in his hand and reveals that all of the Boraalans did not actually die, but were beamed aboard the Enterprise-D just before the destruction of their homeworld. Worf is at once, shocked at his brother's actions in, yet again, another blatant disregard of the Prime Directive. Act Two Nikolai explains that he was able to make the plasmonic bursts look like they overloaded the ship's sensors so he could beam up the Boraalans without anyone on the ship noticing. The plan worked perfectly. Worf is dismayed at his brother's increasingly delinquent behavior and says during a conversation in the turbolift that he wants nothing to do with him after his actions. Nikolai is sent to Picard's ready room and Picard begins to berate Nikolai for his actions and that his career is most likely finished. Nikolai reveals that he did not beam up the Boraalans without a plan. Instead, he plans to find a new Class M planet for the Boraalans and to gradually change the terrain on the holodeck so it will appear that the Boraalans leave the caves for their new home. Picard, La Forge, Dr. Crusher, and Data meet in Stellar Cartography to find a new home for the Boraalans. However, La Forge finds out that the holodeck is malfunctioning, its image processor destroyed by the atmospheric dissipations, and that is not a question of how the holodeck will cease to function, but when. Picard asks Worf to take Nikolai back into the holodeck, to be surgically altered to look like a Boraalan and for him to watch him carefully. Nikolai and Worf return to the holodeck simulation and announce to the Boraalans that their village was destroyed and there was nothing left. The Boraalans are dismayed to hear this but Nikolai says that they will be able to find a new home and that it is a great distance from their present location and they must hurry. Worf says that even the stars in their new home may even look different. Vorin asks why they would be different and how Worf knowns that they will be safe at their new home. Nikolai backs up Worf by saying that he knows that they will be safe. Suddenly, a woman screams because she sees the holodeck grid flashing in a pool of water. Worf tries to calm down the Boraalans by saying that it is an omen, the Sign of La Forge. Geordi understands Worf's predicament and fixes the problem. Nikolai announces that their journey to their new home is blessed. He later goes over to Worf and says that they make quite a team. Worf says bluntly that they are not a team. Meanwhile, in Stellar Cartography, Data and Dr. Crusher are looking for a new homeworld for the Boraalans. They come up with two solutions, Draygo IV in the Draygo system or Vacca VI in the Vacca system. The Draygo system is located only three light years away from Cardassian space and there are constant border disputes in the area, which rules it out, so Data and Dr. Crusher choose Vacca VI. The Enterprise will reach the planet in 42 hours. In the holodeck, Worf notices that Nikolai has become close with a Boraalan named Dobara. As he is noticing them, Vorin is drawing a chronicle, which documents the history of his village, including Worf and Nikolai leading them to safety. Worf then announces that they must leave now. Vorin then realizes that he is missing one of his chronicles. Worf asks him to leave it behind, but Vorin says that without it, the village's future means nothing. Worf allows him to go. An elder Boraalan asks Worf to help him with his gear and asks him that if he does not make it to the Boraalan's new home, he wants Worf to become his daughter's husband. Worf assures the elder that they will make it. Vorin finds his scroll, but just as he is about to leave, he sees the holodeck arch half hidden in a cavern of rocks. He puts his hand into it, which dissolves the holo-image surrounding the door. Vorin opens the door and steps out into the Enterprise's corridors, shocked by what he sees. Act Three Vorin, afraid and confused, makes his way to Ten Forward, where a group on onlookers has begun to crowd around him. Fortunately, Deanna Troi and Commander Riker are in the lounge and ask everyone to back away from Vorin. Troi explains that they are both friends of Nikolai and Worf. Vorin asks where he is and he is subsequently brought to sickbay, where Dr. Crusher announces to Captain Picard that his neuro-physiology is too complicated that she cannot do a memory wipe. Picard is now forced to explain that Vorin and the rest of his village has spent the last two days on the Enterprise and not on their homeworld. In the holodeck, Worf finds out that Vorin was able to leave the holodeck and informs Nikolai that Vorin will make is own choice about his life, if he wants to stay on the Enterprise or return to the holodeck. Worf again argues with Nikolai, since he never thinks things through and that everywhere he goes, he creates chaos. Nikolai argues that Worf was the perfect son and that he has become too involved in Starfleet protocols to think of others. Soon after, Worf realizes that the holodeck malfunctions are increasing and talks to Geordi through his combadge. Dobara comes up to Worf and talks about Nikolai and why he seems so distraught and that she wants her, Nikolai and Worf to be a family, since Dobara is pregnant with Nikolai's child. The Enterprise arrives at Vacca VI, but it will be a few hours before the transporter will be able to beam down the Boraalans, but Picard has one more problem to take care of; Vorin. Picard goes to Vorin's quarters and asks him what he wants to do. Vorin announces that he wants to go back to his people, but he does not know what to tell them. Picard asks Vorin if he intends to tell the truth, and reminds him that his fellow villagers might think that he was hallucinating or that he is insane. Vorin knows that he cannot tell the truth, but he thinks that he cannot be able to live with a secret. Picard offers Vorin to stay on the Enterprise but Vorin tells Picard that he will need more time. Act Four Worf and Nikolai get into yet another argument, this time about Nikolai's upcoming fatherhood. They are about to physically attack each other when the holodeck begins to malfunction and is about to fail. Worf contacts Commander La Forge and asks him to generate lightning storms and thunder, so it looks like a massive storm. After all the Boraalans have been herded into their tents by Nikolai, Worf tells Geordi to beam down the Boraalans to Vacca VI. A few seconds later, the Boraalans, including Worf and Nikolai beam down in an identical spot on Vacca VI, where the "storms" have suddenly stopped. Picard notes that the mission was a success, but their success has come at a high price. Vorin, utterly unable to make a choice, committed ritual suicide. Picard wishes that Vorin could have bridged the gap between their two cultures. Worf returns to Vacca VI to say goodbye to his brother. Nikolai announces that he will replace Vorin as the new village chronicle and he will stay with the Boraalans. Worf and his brother embrace and the Enterprise-D warps away from Vacca VI, the new homeworld of the Boraalans. Memorable Quotes "This is one of those times when we must face the ramifications of the prime directive and honor those lives which we cannot save" "I find no honor in this whatsoever captain" : - '''Jean Luc-Picard' and Nikolai "I wasn't going to let those people die just because your captain started quoting Federation dogma" : - '''Nikolai' "Duty? That's all that really matters to you isn't it? I refuse to be bound my an abstraction." : - Nikolai "It is the sign of La Forge." : - Worf, in the role of a Boraalan seer, explains a holodeck malfunction as an omen "If I had been more like you... We wouldn't have had so many problems'" "No. If you had been more like me, these people would not be here now. You gave them a chance at a new life" : - Nikolai "The village will need a new chronicler. Someone has to begin it. My child will need a father. My place is here, I'm finally taking responsibility.''" : - '''Nikolai "I will have to explain this to mother and father" "They won't understand" "They may. I will tell them that you are happy" : - Worf says farewell to his brother Nikolai Background Information *Penny Johnson later goes on to play the regular role of Kasidy Yates in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. * Brian Markinson also appears in DS9 as Elias Giger in and on Voyager as both Peter Durst and Sulan in . * Paul Sorvino and LeVar Burton also starred together in Dummy, a movie in which a deaf man (LeVar Burton) on trial for murder is defended by a deaf lawyer (Paul Sorvino). * This is the first time on the series that Michael Dorn (Worf) appears without Klingon make-up. However, it is not until DS9's that he wears no prosthetics at all, in his role as Willie Hawkins. * The footage of the planet Vacca VI is a reused image of Qo'noS from . * In the non-canon Star Trek: The Next Generation - Starfleet Academy novels of Peter David, Worf's foster brother was named Simon. * The Stardate for this episode would have it taking place before the previous episode , that episode taking place on Stardate 47457.1. Video and DVD releases *UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 83, . *As part of the TNG Season 7 DVD collection. Links and References Main Cast *Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard *Jonathan Frakes as Commander William T. Riker *LeVar Burton as Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge *Michael Dorn as Lieutenant Worf *Gates McFadden as Doctor Beverly Crusher *Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi *Brent Spiner as Lieutenant Commander Data Guest Stars *Penny Johnson as Dobara *Brian Markinson as Vorin *Edward Penn as Kateras Special Appearance By *Paul Sorvino as Nikolai Rozhenko Co-Stars *Susan Christy as Tarrana *Majel Barrett as the computer voice Uncredited Co-Stars *Pam Blackwell as a Boraalan *Chris Blackwood as a Boraalan *Michael Braveheart as Martinez *Carl David Burks as Russell *Uriah Carr as a Boraalan *Tracee Lee Cocco as Jae *Elliot Durant III as an operations division ensign *Bill Hagy as a security officer *Fumiko Hamada as a command division officer *Kerry Hoyt as a security ensign *'Isiah' as a Boraalan *George Michaels as a Boraalan *Michael Moorhead as a science division ensign *Ted Parker as a Boraalan *Joyce Robinson as Gates *Unknown performers as **Burton **Female security officer **Four female and one male Boraalans References 47, Atmospheric dissipation; Boraalan; Boraal II; Boraal system; Cabral sector; Chef; Draygo IV; Draygo system; Gault; Gault colony; Holodeck; Hologrid; Holo-programs; Interspecific reproduction; ion storm; Memory wipe; neurophysiology; Prime Directive; Rozhenko, Helena; Rozhenko, Sergey; seer; Sign of La Forge; stratosphere; Starbase 87; Suicide; Vacca system; Vacca VI |next= }} Category:TNG episodes de:Die oberste Direktive es:Homeward nl:Homeward